‘Blackshades’ webcam malware co-creator gets probation
The head of the ‘Blackshades’ hacking ring might be doing hard time, but one of his former partners won’t be facing so bleak a future. A judge has sentenced malware co-creator Michael Hogue to 5 years’ probation, a forfeiture of $40,000 and 500 hours of community service in return for pleading guilty to hacking and malware distribution charges back in 2013. The Remote Access Tool he helped write was heinous (it allowed webcam spying and ransom hijacking), the judge said. However, Hogue also cooperated with prosecutors and otherwise “did what he could” to set things right after he was caught — the court just wasn’t going to throw the book at him. While that might not be much consolation to the tool’s 1 million victims, it should help close a particularly dark chapter of internet history.
Source: Reuters
Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge begin receiving Marshmallow in South Korea
Samsung has decided to skip Android 6.0 and go straight to Android 6.0.1. This update patches some of the initial bugs in Marshmallow and generally improves performance.
The Android 6.0.1 update has begun rolling out to Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge users in South Korea. We have seen leaks in the past that showed some design changes in the beta version of the update, and if you liked them, you’re in luck. The leaks closely match screenshots taken by SamMobile that show some new UI changes. Some of the most noticeable one’s being the newly designed notification menu and power menu.
It shouldn’t be long before the update makes way out of South Korea to more nations around the globe. Mid-February seems like a good estimate right now. We’ll keep you posted.
Source: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge begin receiving Marshmallow in South Korea
honor 5X now available in the US for just $199
It’s been talked about for a few weeks now, and the day is finally here. Huawei’s first U.S.-bound honor smartphone, the honor 5X, is now available for purchase from various online retailers. For just $199.99, you’ll not only snag one of the best cheap Android smartphones out there, but also one of the best dual-SIM handsets on the market. As of now it looks like all three color variants – Dark Grey, Daybreak Silver and Sunset Gold – are available from Amazon, Newegg and from honor’s website. And if you choose to buy from Newegg, the retailer with throw in a free 32GB microSD card for a limited time.
If you need a refresher, the honor 5X comes with a 5.5-inch 1080p display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 615 processor, a 13MP rear camera and a 3000mAh battery. What makes this device so special is that for the price, you’ll be hard pressed to find a smartphone that feels this premium. It’s made of a metallic chassis and also sports a fingerprint sensor. The software may not be for everyone out there, but honor says it’s working to push out more timely updates to its phones. For more detailed coverage, be sure to check out our full review.
So, will you be ordering one? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
AIVAnet 